ARP Solus Synthesizer

As the cost of musical instruments goes up and up, it’s unusual to ﬁnd a lead-line keyboard synthesizer with as many useful live performance features as those to be found on the new ARP Solus. And it’s even more unusual to ﬁnd these features at a price that allows musicians a lot of sound without spending a lot of money.

The Solus delivers the usual array of “human engineered” features, and includes many of the same circuits to be
found on more expensive instruments. In a new twist, ARP has created the Solus within its own traveling case, thus adding to the attraction this instrument will certainly have with budget-minded keyboardists.

The Solus incorporates a full three-octave keyboard. ARP has always maintained the need for a full three octaves for musical reasons and, after all, music is the name of the game. The keyboard can be transposed up or down one octave utilizing the master transposition, or through
the use of a VCO 2 transposition allowing for quick setup in live performance, and a very desirable doubling
effect over a wide range.

Not one but two oscillators power the Solus. Both VCOs can be phase-synchronized for the classical electronic effects popular with contemporary recording artists, and both feature mixable sawtooth and pulse wave outputs with continuously variable pulse width.

The “fat” sound is always asked for by musicians, and the four-pole ﬁlter in the Solus does the trick. Compare the ARP ﬁlter in this unit to most other comparably-priced instruments, and you‘ll hear the difference.

The four-pole ﬁlter can be modulated with inverted ADSR for extra special effects.

This little instrument has a lot of extras. Where else can you get a ring modulator, phase-synced oscillators,
voltage-controlled ampliﬁer (VCA), master vibrato and pitch bend sharp and ﬂat. plus a ﬁlter pedal input for
pedal control (optional) and complete systems interface jacks for interface.

With other ARP synthesizers, at a price far below what you’d expect. Once again, ARP does a lot with a
little.

Features

I. Master Tune: Tunes entire instrument.

2. Transpose: Transposes entire Instrument up or down one octave.

3. PWM Source: Selects either the ADSR or LFO sine wave to modulate the pulse width of the square wave.

4. VCO l Waveform Mix: Selects either the sawtooth or pulse wave from VCO | , or a mixture of both.

5. VCO 2: Has its own Tune, Transpose & Waveform Mix controls. The frequency of VCO 2 may also be controlled by the ADSR, or by an optional foot pedal.

6. LFO: Used to produce vibrato, tremolo, and trills.

7. VCF: Changes the timbre of the sound by adding or subtracting harmonics. May be controlled by the LFO, normal or inverted ADSR, the keyboard, or an optional foot pedal for a “wah-wah" effect.

8. Trigger Switch: Selects single or multiple triggering for expressive control, as well as automatic triggering for repetitive effects.